The last time Jim Harbaugh went to Iowa City, his No. 2-ranked Wolverines lost to Iowa on a last-second field goal. History repeated itself Saturday night.
Keith Duncan knocked in a 33-yard field goal as time expired to give his Hawkeyes a 14-13 win over No. 3 Michigan. Coupled with losses by No. 2 Clemson and No. 4 Washington, Iowa’s win secured the first day in which Nos. 2, 3 and 4 lost on the same day since... Oct. 19, 1985 -- the same day No. 2 Michigan lost to No. 1 Iowa in Harbaugh’s last visit to Kinnick Stadium.
Michigan had a chance to chill away a win when Channing Stribling intercepted C.J. Beathard at the Michigan 16-yard line with 1:54 remaining, but the Wolverines -- as was the case the entire second half -- could not move the ball. An incomplete pass on 3rd-and-8, with Michigan quarterback Wilton Speight throwing on a bum shoulder, stopped the clock at 1:36, and an 8-yard Desmond King punt return aided by a ticky-tack 15-yard facemask penalty gave Iowa the ball at the Michigan 36.
Iowa moved into field goal territory after its first play on the ensuing possession, but an 8-yard Beathard draw on 3rd-and-7 with 16 seconds remaining turned Duncan’s field goal into a chip shot.
Playing in their first true road game of the year -- Rutgers don’t count -- Michigan jumped out to a 10-0 lead when a botched fake punt set the Wolverines up for a short field and a 26-yard Kenny Allen field goal at the 4-minute mark of the first quarter and, one Iowa missed field goal later, a 9-play, 72-yard march resulted in a 7-yard Ty Isaac scoring run midway through the second quarter.
But Michigan’s offense struggled mightily to move the ball for the rest of the night, starting with a De’Veon Smith safety on the Wolverines’ next possession to put the Hawkeyes on the board. Iowa didn’t score on the next possession, but a 3-and-out resulted in a 7-play, 52-yard drive culminating in a 3-yard pass from Beathard to Akrum Wadley on 4th-and-goal to pull the Hawkeyes within 10-8 at the half.
Michigan fumbled the second half kickoff, and Iowa moved 36 yards in five minutes to set Keith Duncan up for a go-ahead 25-yard chip shot. After four straight punts, Michigan moved back in front when Allen nailed a 51-yard field goal at the 9:35 mark of the fourth quarter.
Michigan could not protect that lead, though, as Speight was intercepted in field goal range with 3:43 remaining. After starting hot, Speight closed the day hitting only 11-of-26 passes for 103 yards and an interception, while the ground game pounded out only 98 yards on 35 carries.
Iowa threw for only 66 yards but managed to rush for 164 yards on 64 clock-chewing carries.
In addition to serving as the highlight of the season, Iowa clinches a bowl trip by moving to 6-4 on the season.
Michigan, meanwhile, drops to 9-1 on the season and 6-1 in the Big Ten, still needing a win at Ohio State on Nov. 26 to reach the Big Ten championship and, ultimately, the College Football Playoff.